In this final part of our chat with filmmaker Apo Bazidi we talk about the technical aspects of his film Resistance is Life.
Shooting a documentary in an unpredictable environment such as a refugee camp or a war zone brings all sorts of challenges, especially if you are a one-person show producing a film all on your own. Apo tells us how he managed to get coverage from simultaneous events by recruiting fellow volunteers to help him get the necessary coverage at various locations.
In terms of gear, Apo was very limited in what he could carry, not only because he was working on his own but also because of issues such as safety and something so basic as access to electricity to recharge camera batteries. As a result, the entirety of Resistance is Life was shot on a Canon 7D and Canon 5D Mark III with a Rode on-camera shotgun microphone. Having ended up screening at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Resistance is Life is yet another example that story is always more important than gear.
Evlin, from Apo W. Bazidi’s “Resistance is Life”
Apo also tells us about his plans for the future after finishing the festival circuit with Resistance is Life, and gives us the latest update regarding Evlin, the 8 year-old Kurdish girl that became the protagonist of his documentary.
We hope to have Apo Bazidi ride with us again very soon, and we wish him the best of luck with Resistance is Life!
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In this second part of our convertible ride with filmmaker Apo Bazidi, we continue our chat about his film Resistance is Life and discuss the psychological difficulties of shooting in a hostile environment. Watch the first part of this conversation if you missed it.
Making the decision to pack up your things and go into a war zone certainly takes a certain mindset. Apo shares with us what motivated him to return to Turkey in the first place, and eventually cross the border to war-torn Syria.
Another experience which inevitably comes as a shock is returning home after experiencing the cruel reality of war. While it is true that many people are not fortunate enough to ever leave that reality of hardship and violence, returning to the Western world takes its own psychological toll. Apo tells us how he faced challenges such as PTSD and how he managed to come back to terms with society.
Evlin, from Apo W. Bazidi’s “Resistance is Life”
We also dive a little deeper in to the origin of the name Resistance is Life, and Apo helps us decipher the meaning within and its universal message, as well as sharing with us what are his next plans with the film’s distribution.
Stay tuned for the third and final part of our chat with filmmaker Apo Bazidi, where we discuss the gear he used to shoot Resistance is Life!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming!
TILTABlackmagic DesignManfrottoOlympus
Watch previous episodes of ON THE GO (& On the Couch) by clicking here. Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!